PRESERVING THE TRADITIONAL AND HISTORIC TEXAS A&M UNIVERSITY SEAL

The new seal mandate for Texas A&M was buried in a consent agenda with many routine "housekeeping" items. It was approved without any discussion or input from students, former students, or others associated with Texas A&M. It was done secretly as students were preparing for semester-end projects and finals. The seal was changed two days before Dr. Michael K. Young would take office as the 25th President of Texas A&M University. Therese McDevitt, Vice Chancellor for Marketing and Communications, was apparently the administrator who initiated this change. She is a SFA graduate and has worked for the Texas A&M System for six months. Did she really have the necessary in depth knowledge of the history and traditions of Texas A&M to be the architect of this landmark change? Of course she didnít... and all of the sudden an item buried in a "rubber-stamp" consent agenda has forever changed and cheapened our historic and traditional seal.

Our seal has been unchanged since 1963 and has origins back to the 1947 seal. The "T" in the seal is the same one used at the Corregidor Muster in 1946 following WWII. The Star is from the Seal of the State of Texas. The Star is also on the side of the Aggie Ring. Texas A&M has always aligned the school with the history of the State of Texas. One of the best examples of this is that Muster is held on the anniversary of the Battle of San Jacinto. The "T" and the "Star" have deep meaning and a shared history between Texas A&M and the State of Texas. The beveled aTm logo originally designed by Nike in 1999 has none of that.

The official seal of a University is supposed to be revered and used on special occasions such as at graduation when the seal is embossed on the studentsí hard-earned diplomas. The academic seal is not a high-volume marketing piece. If you look at the seals of any University you will see that they are traditional, symbolic, academic-oriented, and almost always have the founding date included. They are supposed to look old as if they trace back to the origins of the school. Official University Seals are not supposed to flaunt t-shirt graphics.

The fact that the beveled aTm logo was cut and paste into the center of our historic seal makes this even worse. Below is a letter from March 2013 examining the "bevel" and why it shouldnít even be used as our primary logo. This was written two years before anyone could have imagined that it would eventually be cut and pasted into the center of our official seal. The geometry of the bevel is bad and the design is poor. Why are these four trapezoids so vital and important to our University? Why would we put a logo with incorrect geometry on our academic seal? This is an Aggie Joke that we are writing ourselves. Texas A&M has many programs with roots in geometry such as engineering, architecture, computer visualization, and construction science to name a few. When you are implementing a logo university and system-wide it would probably be smart to make sure that it doesnít have any mistakes. Our beveled logo is riddled with mistakes as shown on Page 10 of the attached letter.

In the poll The Eagle ran when this story broke 83% of Aggies preferred the old seal, 12% preferred the new seal, and 5% didnít care. In the Good Bull Hunting poll 86% voted not to change the seal and 14% voted to update the seal. These results were online the day before the consent agenda item was unceremoniously approved. These are hardly numbers that would indicate that the new seal should be approved without discussion. As of May 3rd over 15,000 Aggies have signed the petition to revert back to the classic seal. The Texas A&M Student Senate unanimously voted to keep the old seal and passed the Preserving Tradition Resolution as a swift and bold response to this unpopular decision by the Board of Regents.

Please sign the petition here in an effort to save our classic, traditional and historic seal.

THE BEVEL T LOGO

Above is a pdf version of the letter below that you can email as an attachment to Aggies that you know. Between September 2012 and March 2013 the following letter was sent to the leadership of Texas A&M. I don't know how any Aggie can read this letter in its entirety and decide that the beveled logo is our very best option as our primary mark. Continuing to use the beveled logo doesn't make it less flawed or any more acceptable. Names and contact information have been obscured for privacy. Below the letter is a comments section.

Approved comments will be posted in their entirety within 48 hours. If you are among the 36% that supports the Bevel T this is probably not the best place for you to make your comments. Maybe there is a Pro-Bevel website out there somewhere for you.

So now that Jason Cook has gone to Baylor maybe we can finally get rid of the beveled logo. Cook would never take concerns about the bevel seriously - he just didn't care that it was flawed.

November 12, 2015 4:56pm

Sean '16

Bryan, TX

Board of Regents approve use of old seal on TAMU diplomas

November 4, 2015 12:14pm

Melissa '18

College Station, TX

A small victory for those of us who hate the beveled logo... President Young is adding an item to the BOR's agenda to use the old seal on diplomas instead of the new seal with the beveled logo. Apparently he has heard from a lot of current students about this.

May 21, 2015 1:38pm

Justin '17

Bryan, TX

This past weekend someone changed the sign at the main entrance to read BEVEL A&M UNIVERSITY... No one wants this crap. Why can't the administration understand this?

May 17, 2015 9:37pm

Jim '98

Fort Worth, TX

Earlier today someone changed the TEXAS A&M UNIVERSITY sign at the main entrance to read BEVEL A&M UNIVERSITY... maybe one day the Chancellor and Board of Regents will actually listen to the current students instead of changing things that don't need to be changed.

May 6, 2015 8:02am

Gary '10

Austin, TX

So now we have bad geometry on our academic seal... f@cking brilliant!

April 30, 2015 12:05am

Chris

Beaumont, TX

The BOR actually approved updating the University Seal with the Bevel. What a load of crap!

April 28, 2015 3:31pm

Thomas '12

Houston, TX

Now they are trying to add the stupid beveled logo to the University Seal.

March 30, 2015 3:34pm

Oscar '05

Houston, TX

So our logo is a mistake and the marketing dept puts it out everywhere for everyone to see. That is f*cking Brilliant!

January 2, 2015 11:13pm

Jason

Katy, TX

It is 2015 and the bevel still sucks!

June 4, 2014 2:58am

Steve '15

College Station, TX

No bevel on the 2014 Maroon Out shirts... Good Bull! At least someone gets it.

March 31, 2014 8:26am

Steve '88

Dallas, TX

The bevel looks dumb. I won't buy anything with the bevel on it. What is wrong with the block A&M on the helmet? If it isn't broke don't fix it!

February 15, 2014 3:41am

Tom '11

San Antonio, TX

BEVELS seems to be the Herpes of Texas A&M. No one wants it, irritating, unsightly, and seems to be a mistake that won't EVER go away. Oh, and from the looks of it, we got it from Tech...

February 8, 2014 2:24pm

Jordan '95

Houston, TX

Adding bevels to graphics was a fad when I was at A&M and it faded away in a few short years. Only A&M would think of going back to the 1990s for a cheap graphics look for our official logo. The aesthetics are bad, but the geometry is even worse. Note to Marketing: K.I.S.S.

February 1, 2014 6:18pm

Mark '06

College Station, TX

The bevel logo is retarded. What is it going to take to get rid of the stupid bevels?

December 23, 2013 2:29pm

Brent '10

College Station, TX

Luckily I was still able to find some non-beveled gear for Christmas gifts. There is still a lot of poorly done beveled merchandise out there.

August 26, 2013 8:41pm

Lauren '15

College Station, TX

I see a ton of shirts with the non-beveled A&M logo on campus. At least the stores around town recognize that most Aggies don't like the beveled logo!

July 14, 2013 11:30pm

Ted '05

Dallas, TX

Shouldn't an engineering school have a logo with correct geometry? The beveled logo is so dumb I can't believe that Aggie fans have to fight the administration to get rid of it. How stubborn can they be? Just do what is best for A&M!

July 10, 2013 10:18am

John '17

Houston, TX

I will be starting at A&M this Fall and I'm so excited to be an Aggie. It seems to me that Texas A&M is a school that is big on traditions so I don't understand why A&M would use a beveled logo that has no historical significance. On top of that the geometry sucks.

June 17, 2013 6:10pm

Joe '08

Round Rock, TX

I hate the bevel! I will never buy anything that has the bevel on it. Why did you people mess with our logo?!

June 15, 2013 4:50pm

Roger '02

Houston, TX

The administration continues to push the Bevel despite the A&M fan base doing everything they can to let them know we don't like it. Why are these 4 lines so important to our leaders? These lines don't add anything to the aTm logo, they just weaken it. Just use the traditional logo on the helmet. Why be so stubborn about the stupid Bevel?

May 17, 2013 9:37am

Stephen Galvin '09

Bryan, Texas, TX

The logo that features the trapezoidal interruptions takes away from the traditional, bold logo, and more often than not, looks horrible on TV, signage and clothing. Please move the random lines from our school logo. Outlines or shadowing can be used, but please end the use of this ridiculous looking

May 15, 2013 8:06pm

Brenda '05

Houston, TX

Just use the A&M logo on the helmet - it isn't that hard! Why try to make things so complicated? Most Aggies I know prefer the Block T. Very few people prefer the beveled logo. Why would the administration use a logo most Aggies don't like. If anything go with tradition - no doubt that is the Block T. Maybe I just don't understand...

May 1, 2013 2:55pm

Karen '92

Houston, TX

The beveled logo is so 1990s; the Block T is traditional SEC. The choice is an easy one.

April 25, 2013 8:34pm

Oscar '03

Houston, TX

So we are an Engineering school and have programs in Architecture and Computer Visualization, yet the Administration is OK with a geometrically incorrect bevel - makes perfect sense.

April 21, 2013 11:05pm

Scott '15

College station, TX

The Student Senate now has a Debevelization Representation Bill that will add a poll question to the Student Body Elections Ballot this Fall (2013)

April 17, 2013 3:36pm

JWC '09

Snyder, TX

Correct it or get rid of the bevel. That is my opinion.

April 16, 2013 3:53pm

Robert '08

San Antonio, TX

What is it going to take to get rid of this stupid beveled logo?

April 14, 2013 4:04pm

Greg '87

Bryan, TX

Check out the bevel thread on the TexAgs.com Football Forum. LEVEL THE BEVEL!

April 9, 2013 8:29pm

Roger '84

Dallas, TX

I can't decide if Jason Cook being reassigned is good or bad for those of us that hate the bevel...

March 24, 2013 11:18am

Mentholatus '94

Bryan, TX

Perception defied!
Compound, complex facets.
Even Escher weeps.

March 16, 2013 1:35pm

Travis '12

Houston, TX

The beveled logo is dumb... just use the aTm logo on the helmet. KISS = Keep It Simple Stupid

February 18, 2013 7:49pm

Tracy '16

College Station, TX

When is the administration going to admit that the bevel was a mistake and quit using it? Continuing to use it doesn't make the horrible aesthetics and geometry of this confusing logo any better.

February 10, 2013 1:00am

Mark '05

Kabul , Afghanistan

So many reasons the 'bevel' needs to go:
1) Looks like a throw-back to the Big 12 bevel fad. (OSU, Texas Tech, etc)
2) Makes the A&M logo look too busy and washed out.
3) Doesn't print well on clothes, especially the smaller it is.
4) Not technically even a bevel.
Could go on for hours...
Let's lose the bevel or start finding alternatives to the current Aggie gear.

January 12, 2013 12:30am

John Redmon '85

Elgin, TX

I have hated the chisel or bevel T since day one. It was just forced on us. I'm trying to find a new ball cap with the block T logo. I won't buy any bevel-wear. Plus, where is the chisel at the bottom of the T that should be on the top left of the serif? Idiots.

September 24, 2012 9:03pm

Jason '96

CS, TX

It's getting worse. At the brandguide.tamu.edu website, there are NO unbeveled T's to download, and the admin is pushing all the colleges and depts to adopt the new, very unattractive mark.
GET ACTIVE FOLKS - e-mail president@tamu.edu and put a stop to the bevel insanity.

September 21, 2012 3:48pm

Jason '89

College Station, TX

Won't purchase anything with a bevel. Fix it or (preferably)lose it.

July 13, 2012 3:31pm

Lateralus Ag '11

College Station, TX

Down with all things bevel....

July 10, 2012 4:51pm

Samuel L. Bronkowitz '00

Austin, TX

The bevel kicked my dog and sold newsletters to make an extra buck. Down with Bevel!

July 10, 2012 4:29pm

Brandon '13

Houston, TX

Thank you for starting this! I've hated the bevel ever since it started and do my best to never buy anything with the bevel, even if that means not buying some Aggie gear I would really like.

May 28, 2012 12:24pm

John L. Lynn '73

Wellborn, TX

The bevel T needs to go. It is awful and amateurish, our great university deserves better. The traditional block T has repesented us so well in the past, why has it been abandoned? The Association of Former Students changed their decal design a number of years ago to a cheesy design, but fortunately they had the intelligence to switch back to the original design we have today. I'm not sure who in the university's marketing area came up with the idea of the bevel T, but they should be shown the door.
Finally, emulating tech's bevel T is an insult. Why would we ever want to have a logo associated with those "dirt monkeys"?

May 22, 2012 9:16pm

Charlie Westmoreland '07

Spring, TX

Mr. Loftin, tear down this BEVEL!!!! All True Maroon-Blooded Aggies know that the "Block T" and the Non-Bevel ATM are the TRUE symbol of this fine university. Why should we follow Tceh and Houston with their bevels? Lets get back to our traditional roots and bring back the ORIGNAL ATM Logo!!!!

May 13, 2012 8:41pm

Rock the Good Ag '86

B=CS, TX

Another poll: Should Texas A&M stop using the current highlighted, bevel-T design?
http://polldaddy.com/poll/6224783/

May 13, 2012 8:21pm

Jeff T. '14

College Station, TX

Here is a poll about Texas A&M using the Bevel logo:
http://polldaddy.com/poll/6224746
Here is the thread on TexAgs about the poll:
http://texags.com/main/forum.reply.asp?topic_id=2085857&forum_id=5

May 12, 2012 7:45am

Ray S. '91

Cypress, TX

Mama said, "the bevel is the devil"
Classic block ATM for the win.

May 3, 2012 10:41am

Caz '06

Corpus Christi, TX

Death to the devel!

May 2, 2012 1:35pm

duffelpud '87

Aggieland, TX

I could tell you about my halcyon childhood full of constant euphoria and mountains of
bubble gum (when it was only a penny, came individually wrapped and was BIG). I could boast of my skydiving successes, passionate relationships, and well-groomed facial hair during my elementary school years. I could ramble on for hours about my good ol' college days: swimming the mighty Brazos, drinking elixir with traveling mystics, writing seductive poetry, and throwing touchdown passes were all in a day's work. I could write about the day I saved those kids from the influences of organized religion, or even about my automatic entry into the (cencored) Brotherhood upon my arrival at Texas A&M. But I won't. That's not the way my parents (who were wolves, by the way) raised me.
I shall attempt to remain as blasé as possible in regard to my hatred for this abortion of a logo, if you will. However, I have never made a guarantee in my life and do not plan on changing that.
No longer am I the youthful brainchild of Lawrence Sullivan Ross' haunting presence (sans pompadour), quietly learning a myriad of quirky literary devices and illegal ways in which to download cheap programs onto my laptop. No longer do I remain fixed in the internal quagmire of my soul, desperate to define my role within the unobstructed, clean, unbeveled lines of life. My blatantly eccentric, yet wanton, avant-garde lifestyle longs resurrect the good tradition of the "flat" logo alive and well during these dark times.
As I sit here on the front porch of the duffelpud mansion, gracefully puffing on my briarwood pipe, I envision a beautiful relationship between our hallowed institution and a logo castrated of the beveled appendages unnaturally added by Nike metrosexuals. I see a brilliant future of denial and acceptance; of heartbreak and happiness; of tears and laughter. I have a funny feeling that you're looking forward to it.

May 1, 2012 4:28pm

Rock Gutag '91

Snook, TX

As Ricky Bobby once said: "Dear 8 pound 6 ounce Lord baby Jesus, lyin' there in your ghost manger, just lookin' at your Baby Einstein developmental videos, learnin' 'bout shapes and colors. I would like to pray that you kill the strange, geometrically incorrect bevel on the Texas A&M logo. It's dumb, looks like garbage, and not only dilutes the brand but it's killing our country. And also I pray that my kids no longer sound like retarded gang-bangers. A-men"

May 1, 2012 2:04pm

Patrick Jeter '12

College Station, TX

The bevel got my dog pregnant. I WANT IT DEAD!

April 30, 2012 9:01pm

SpreadsheetAg '03

Singapore, Singapore

Please get rid of this, or at least replace it with the Traditional "flat" logo as the primary mark and the logo that is to be used by Sports Media.
Gig'em

April 30, 2012 4:39pm

spanky '97

please kill the bevel so we can focus our efforts on more important matters such as programming for internet polls and billboard design

April 26, 2012 9:04pm

Neal Maranto '88

Keller, TX

Also could never stand the plaid around the collar and sleeves. Give me a break. Maroon and White!

April 16, 2012 11:28pm

Matthew M. '86

Katy, TX

I am sick to my stomach to see the worst logo imaginable used for A&M on every televised event. Now coming back to Texas after years in California, I am even more sickened to see the ugliest logo in the country slapped on buildings and equipment all over the campus.
A&M used to have one of the boldest sharpest logos around. Now it has the weakest & ugliest logo in the nation. It's not a bevel. It's busy random lines, creating the visual effect of a blurry washed out "T".

April 15, 2012 7:01pm

Matthew J. Kelley '97

Beaumont, TX

I also do not buy gear with the beveled logo. If i am unable to find the item I want with the classic logo, then I do not buy anything. I know I am not the only Aggie who behaves this way, so clearly the University is losing money by insisting on keeping this horrible looking design.

April 15, 2012 12:37pm

Brad '78

Houston, TX

Let's leave the bevel with the Big 12 and start the SEC without it

April 10, 2012 9:45pm

Jeremy D.

Dallas, TX

Let's not use the cheesy bevel in the SEC...none of the SEC schools use that kind of stuff.

March 30, 2012 11:23pm

James Johnson

Bryan, TX

The bevel fad was over before A&M even started using the beveled logo

March 30, 2012 12:44am

Nancy P. '11

College Station, TX

I don't buy anything with the bevel on it...sure does make shopping harder.